Love is in the Air – Heart Scones

I loved the holidays at my bake shop…We always created special holiday themed treats- from sugar cookies to cupcakes to breakfast treats. On Valentine’s Day you could always find a heart shaped scone for your love.

Try these- start to finish in about 1/2 hour. What could be sweeter than for your Valentine to wake up to a special breakfast or to join you for afternoon tea?

Heart Shaped Cream Scones

Heat oven to 400; yield 1 dozen 3 ”  scones

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour (10 oz)

1 TBS baking powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup sugar (1 ¾ oz) (plus 1 TBS for sprinkling if not using glaze)

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

1 TBS melted butter

GLAZE: Optional

½ cup powdered sugar (2 oz)

3 TBS milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 drop of pink food coloring

METHOD:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder and salt.

Slowly add the heavy cream mixing with your scrupulously clean hand until the dough comes together and no dry particles remain. Stop adding cream as soon as the dough comes together. Depending on the weather this could take 1 cup of cream up to 1 ½ cups.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 4 or 5 times.

Roll or pat the dough to about ½ inch thick.

Cut the dough with heart shaped cutters and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

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With your forefinger, lightly make an indentation in the center of each scone. This helps the dough keep its shape while baking.

Brush the dough with the melted butter.

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If not using the glaze, sprinkle the top of each scone with sugar.

Bake 14-17 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

When done and cooled, combine the glaze ingredients until smooth.

Spread glaze over each scone.

Enjoy!

Gingerbread Scones

I know it’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me- my “day job” has gotten a lot busier! But- I wanted to make sure to wish all of my readers a very happy and delicious holiday with a special recipe.

If you love gingerbread, then these scones are the perfect addition to your breakfast or brunch table.

In this recipe, I find that the most tender results come from mixing the dough with your hand. My most inspiring teacher was Master Pastry chef Albert Kumin. In our Breads and Doughs class, he held up his scrupulously clean hand with his fingers slightly curled and announced: “This is the best mixing tool that God has given you”.

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment

INGREDIENTS:

1  1/2 cups All Purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup sugar

1 TBS Baking Powder

½ tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/3 cup candied ginger

1 ¼ cup heavy cream

2 TBS molasses

1 TBS melted butter

1 TBS sugar for topping, preferably turbinado sugar

METHOD:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ¼ cup sugar, baking powder and salt and spices.

Stir in candied ginger.

Mix the cream with the molasses and slowly add to the flour mixture, mixing with your hand until the dough comes together and no dry particles remain. Stop adding cream as soon as the dough comes together. Depending on the weather this could take 1 cup of liquid  up to 1 ½ cups.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 4 or 5 times.

Roll or pat the dough into an 8” circle about ¾ inch thick.

Brush the dough with the melted butter and evenly sprinkle the sugar on top.

Cut the circle into 8 wedges.

Place evenly on the baking sheet

Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned and firm to the touch.

panned dough

gingerbread scone dough